Child with thyroid issues?

My 9 year old daughter has me stumped. She was born with a cleft palate but otherwise has been the model of perfect health. But she got a viral infection late January, and then got one after another pretty much for about 6 weeks constant. She was only acutely sick (fever, definite sickness) for 3-4 days total, but she didn't feel "well" for about 6 weeks. She finally in the last 2 weeks seemed "well". "Well" meaning no muscle or leg aches, no headache, no sinus symptoms,no sore throat, etc. But she has developed some other symptoms over that time that have not gone away. She is very hoarse. She lost her voice for the first time early Feb, it was gone a couple days, and then when it came back she was hoarse. She has stayed hoarse pretty much since then (comes and goes a little). ENT thinks possibly vocal nodules. But she also has developed a cold intolerance (at times). She is the child that for the past several years only wore a coat when I absolutely made her. She never complained of being cold. And now for the past 2 months, she is *always* cold. Besides feeling cold, her body temperature will go low (as low as 95.6, but more commonly around 96-97.). This isn't constant - she'll have normal temperatures at times, but if I take it when she complains of being cold, it'll often be low. Her lips also are turning blue during those times she's complaining of being cold. The first time it happened was last summer but it was in a cold pool. Then it happened 1 or 2 more times over the past few months. But in the last 6-8 weeks I'd say it's happened at least 6 times that I've seen. Plus she told me it's happened at school a couple times. She spent 2 days at school wearing a coat all day on a day that wasn't cold to anyone else. (no fever, this was after she got over being sick). Today is about 60 degrees here. She had a coat on, blue lips, complaining of being cold and shivering - in the house (more like 68 degrees inside) this morning. But now this evening she's outside (probably just under 60 degrees) with a short sleeve shirt on, no coat, nice pink lips, warm hands, and feeling fine. She's also very active normally and is a dancer. But lately, she can't get through a dance class without being exhausted. She does get through it, but then wants to lie on the couch and rest for an hour afterwards. That is not normal for her. Her pediatrician isn't concerned and thinks she's fine. I think she's not acutely "sick", but something isn't right. Does this sound like possible thyroid issues? Oh, she also has swollen lymph nodes that appeared when she was feeling bad. They are on the side of her neck and pretty big - it's been about a month that she's had that. But it's definitely on the side, towards the back. No goiter. She's average weight, a little short, and eats well. Some of the other hypothyroid symptoms she's always had but they're so general they could be unrelated (constipation, dry skin are the two that stuck out as being always there). Just wondering if anyone else reads these symptoms and thinks "thyroid" or if I need to be looking into other things. Thanks!

Some children hit puberty earlier than others. I had a friend whose daughter got her first period at 9. Other hormonal changes usually precede that so it is not inconceivable that your daughter could be heading into puberty. My friend blamed it on her husband's italian ethnicity but I have no idea if different ethnic groups hit puberty earlier than others. I think daughters often follow their mothers in this respect. Did the doctor do any bloodwork?

hmm.. I never even though puberty. She's adopted so she won't follow me in that regards. She's also Chinese, and early puberty is not unheard of among girls adopted from China or other countries. It has something to do with early malnutrition and then rapid catch up growth once adopted. But while she actually wasn't malnourished, she's still in the age range where puberty, while a little early, wouldn't be abnormal. So, I guess that's possible. No physical signs of puberty yet though. Thanks for the reply - something to keep in mind.

Yes, bloodwork is needed. Even an MD can't diagnose low thyroid without it.
Insist on TSH and free T4 tests, both of them... not just TSH.

If TSH is higher than 2 and/or free T4 lower than lab median, she likely is hypothyroid. Most MDs would say that bottom-range FT4 is perfectly fine, but it rarely is. If she has that, and you're told there is no thyroid problem, get another opinion.

__________________ "We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses." Abraham Lincoln
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~